Toy with rotating balls

ABSTRACT

A toy according to the invention includes a substantially linear rigid grip to which two spacers are hinged, each one of the spacers being provided with a small ball at an equal and constant distance from the grip and rotating around the grip in such a way that the two small balls rotate around the grip. Each spacer is provided with stop elements suited to limit the rotation of the spacers, to transfer the quantity of motion to the other spacer and to prevent contact between the two small balls. Support elements are provided for the application or insertion of a cardboard element aligned with the rotation axis of the spacers.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns toys, and in particular concerns a gameor toy for a single player.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A game is known, usually called clackers, comprising two small ballsfixed to the ends of a string configured as an upturned V. At the vertexof the overturned V formed by said string there is a grip, usually aring. Since the two lengths of the V-shaped string are identical, thetwo small balls hang side by side. Holding the grip with a hand andoscillating it quickly from top to bottom and vice versa makes the ballsoscillate from an upper position to a lower position and vice versa,noisily swinging together and inverting their motion from time to time.

According to another possible way to use said toy, in the start positionboth balls are hanging down and the string is vertical, then one ball ata time is made rotate on a vertical plane passing first above and thenon the other side of the other ball, which keeps hanging down, so as torotate said hanging ball and make it rotate in turn so that it passesfirst above and then on the other side of the first ball that has beenhanging down since the impact.

The principle on which the toy is based is the conservation of thequantity of motion that causes the inversion in the rotation of the twoballs, when both are rotated at the same time, or causes the rotation ofthe ball that was at rest and hanging down when the balls are rotatedone at a time.

For the toy to be successfully used, the two lengths of the string mustbe tight, otherwise the two balls do not swing together at the top or atthe bottom position and keep moving thus ending the game.

If the two balls fail to hit each other, either of them may hit theplayer's hand, causing hematomas, bruises and fractures.

This toy poses some drawbacks.

It is very noisy and after a while it becomes a nuisance for persons inthe vicinity.

The balls may hit the player's hands.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The subject of the present invention is a new toy mainly comprising agrip to which two rigid spacers are hinged, each of said spacers beingprovided with a small ball at its end opposite the grip. Bothball-spacer pairs rotate freely around the axis of the grip.

One of the objects of the new toy is to prevent the two balls fromswinging together at the top and bottom positions or to make them hiteach other less violently.

A further object of the new toy is to reduce the emitted noise.

Another object of the invention is to allow a piece of cardboard to beapplied to and if necessary removed from said spacers.

A toy according to the invention comprises a substantially linear rigidgrip to which two spacers are hinged, said spacers being substantiallyorthogonal to said grip and provided with a small ball at the endopposite the grip.

Both of said spacers rotate around said grip, so that said small ballsturn around the grip on the same plane orthogonal to the axis of saidgrip.

Each one of said spacers can have any shape, suited to maintain aconstant distance between the corresponding ball and the grip.

Each spacer is provided with stop elements suited to limit the rotationof the spacers and to prevent contact between the two small balls.

Substantially said stop elements or parts of each spacer come intocontact with the stop elements or parts of the other spacer, or with aportion of the other spacer, before the rotation of said spacers causesthe small balls to come into contact with each other.

According to the invention, said stop elements or parts of said spacerscan be rigid, so as to produce a louder noise, or said stop elements orparts of said spacers can be relatively soft, in such a way as to dampenthe impact between the stop elements or parts and the spacers, and ifnecessary to allow the two balls to swing together without producing toomuch noise.

Said stop elements or parts can be removable, so that they can beapplied and removed at the discretion of the player.

Each spacer is provided with seats or housings suitable for theapplication or insertion of a cardboard element aligned with therotation axis of the spacers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the new toy will be highlighted in greater detailin the following description with reference to the attached drawings,which are provided by way of example without limitation.

FIG. 1 shows a view of the new toy with aligned spacers (D).

FIG. 2 shows a cross section a-a of the new toy in the position shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the new toy with the spacers (D) neareach other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A toy according to the invention comprises a substantially linear rigidgrip (I) to which two spacers (D, D′) are hinged, each one of saidspacers being substantially orthogonal to said grip (I) and beingprovided with a small ball (P, P′) at the end opposite the grip (I).

In this example the spacers (D, D′) have a linear shape, but they canhave any shape suitable for serving the purpose of maintaining saidsmall balls (P, P′) at a constant distance from the grip (I).

Both of said spacers (D, D′) rotate around said grip (I) so that saidtwo balls (P, P) rotate around the grip (I) on the same plane,orthogonal to the axis of said grip (I).

Each spacer (D, D′) is provided with stop elements (D1, D1′) suited tolimit the rotation of the spacers (D, D′) and to prevent any contactbetween the two balls (P, P′).

Said stop elements (D1, D1′) of each spacer (D) substantially come intocontact with the stop elements (D1, D1′) of the other spacer (D) beforethe balls (P, P′) make contact with each other following the rotation ofsaid spacers (D, D′).

In this example, the stop elements (D1, D1′) of each spacer (D, D′) makecontact with specific portions or parts (D2′, D2) of the other spacer(D′, D).

Support elements (D3, D3′) are provided on each spacer (D, D′) for theapplication or insertion of a cardboard element (C) aligned with therotation axis of said spacers (D, D′).

Said balls (P, P′) may be provided with a lightening hole (P1, P1′)substantially aligned with the corresponding spacer (D, D′).

Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attacheddrawings, the following claims are expressed.

1. A toy comprising: a substantially linear rigid grip; and two spacershinged to the grip, both of said spacers being provided with a smallball at an equal and constant distance from the grip and rotating aroundsaid grip so that said two small balls rotate around the grip on a sameplane orthogonal to an axis of said grip, wherein each spacer isprovided with stop elements suited to limit a rotation of the spacers,to transfer a quantity of motion to the other spacer and to preventcontact between the two small balls.
 2. The toy according to claim 1,wherein said stop elements are suited to make contact with suitableportions of the other spacer.
 3. The toy according to claim 1, whereinsaid stop elements are adjustable or removable from said spacers.
 4. Thetoy according to claim 3, wherein one or more of hardness or elasticityof said stop elements is such to stop the rotation of each spacer (D,D′) towards the other spacer.
 5. The toy according to claim 3,characterized in that the one or more of hardness or elasticity of saidstop elements is such as to slow down the rotation of each spacertowards the other spacer.
 6. The toy according to claim 1, wherein eachspacer is provided with a seat or a housing suitable for application orinsertion of a cardboard element aligned with a rotation axis of thespacers.
 7. The toy according to claim 1, wherein each small ball isprovided with a lightening hole in any position different from impactareas between the two small balls.
 8. The toy according to claim 1,wherein said spacers have any shape suited to maintain the small ballsat the same distance from the grip.